How does a busy Mom find time to work out???

My suggestions would be to find workouts you can do with your little one. Walk/jog with them in a stroller, get a bike trailer, maybe some swimming. That way you're taking care of you without missing mommy time. It's a challenge - I work full time, go to school, and have 5 kids, but I've just had to make myself a priority. You could also try some DVD's at home in the morning or at night while little one is sleeping.

The coolest thing I ever seen was those moms and dads who take the kids walking with them via big wheel stroller or cart. That is quality time. Its so neat to talk to the kids during those moments.

Options:
- Stroller Group
- Running Stroller
- Mall walking (I was at the mall at 10am 2 weeks ago and it was packed with mothers!)
- Babysitter swap (find another lady who would like to workout and swap sitting and exercise)
- Gym with childcare (more expensive)

You can do it! It's hard but you will feel better afterwords.

Hi Busy Mom,

I totally understand. I solved it by using Leslie Sansone power walk-jog videos. I use the 5 mile walk/jog (12 minute miles) for 1 hour, and sometimes I'll double it for 10 miles. I added weights for toning. I love it because I don't have to drive anywhere, or leave the house. It doesn't matter what I wear or how I look because I'm at home. I try to get the kids to join me for atleast part of it, and they usually get very tired, which is great for them. Leslie does the videos with low impact and high impact options too. It's so easy, and saves time and money. Also, I don't have bulky machines eating up floor space. It's an indoor video excercise so when it rains it won't stop me. So, it just really works for us. Also, I bought a watch heart rate monitor and it helps me to keep track of my heartbeat so that I can monitor my performance levels while using the video.

It's too perfect for words. I love it. Please consider trying it. Best Wishes!

Married Mama:drinker:

I drag my sleep-deprived rear out of bed for a crack-of-dawn workout before my daughter gets up, take advantage of nap time, and work out while my husband gets his quality one-on-one time with our daughter for an hour or so in the evenings after he's home from work.

I also have 5 children, work full time (teacher), and am in my last semeter of Graduate school. I know allll about a busy life! I had to start making myself a priority. Making yourself a priority doesn't equate to neglecting the other aspects of your life so don't think that! Here's how I do it... we have a family membership at our gym that offers childcare. However, my youngest is still too young to attend (they don't start keeping them until 6 months). I did not want to wait to start exercising until she was 6 months- so I started jogging around my neighborhood in a reflective vest after everyone went to bed. I also started doing the 30 day shred dvd during any time I had at home.. if I have 30 minutes to sit down and watch a tv show... i have 30 minutes to get up and get moving to a workout dvd. My gym offers various classes that I enjoy (Muscle Max, Power Spin) and I TELL (I do not ask permission) my husband that I will be going to my class (it is an hour, then I usually do some abs and a few miles on the treadmill which equates to 2 hours away from home). This happens about twice during the week and once on the weekends. While I am gone, my husband gets dinner cooked (which I've prepped) and gets the kids' homework done and the two babies bathed. Teamwork makes the dream work! lol

We stay on top of getting laundry washed (it doesn't always get folded immediately) and dishes washed (dishwasher doesn't always get unloaded) but you know what? I'm ok with that... it doesn't bother me anymore. Dishes and laundry are not more important than my health. I am a person, not a servant... I deserve (and will) exercise. Sure it bothers me when my kids cry for me and say they don't want me to go... but every time I exercise I am potentially increasing my lifespan and for that they will eventually (hopefully) be grateful.

Here is a way you can exercise without leaving home. If you enjoy watching tv with your family... get up and do jumping jacks or crunches during commercial breaks. While dinner is cooking, do some lunges in the kitchen. While you are bathing your child, do a few squats. Sporadic bursts of exercise will add up throughout the day! It's a start!

hmm, well I only have the one child but when he was a baby and I worked + studied I would get up at 5am & go for a 60-90 min walk every morning and then come home and head off to either work or school depending on the day.
At school we had use to the gym at lunch so I made use of the time with the treadmills, bikes and weights.

When he got older (about 2) He learned to ride a bike and by 3 he had the training wheels off so I used to go for runs along the river in the city while he road next to me.

Now he is almost 5, I take him down to the local high school (after school hours) with the dog, he rides around the massive internal fenced off driveway they have as well as down the hills and across the grass while I either do laps of the oval with the dog off the lead or do stair sprints.

When I don't have him I like to Hike up the local mountain we have here, its only a 3.7 km hike up and then usually run down. Also I have a 30 min Yoga Buns workout DVD that I go through phases of waking up Monday ->Thursday (4 days) at 6am to do before the rest of the house is up and running.

The hardest part is getting out of bed or off your butt, but when you finally get started its all worth it!

When you know you want to or should but just cant be bothered, just think "In an hour I could be finished and back hoe happy I have done it... or I could still be sitting here, having done nothing or achieved nothing and could have been and done my exercise and be back again already "

Hi there!

I'm a mom of a 2 year old and I also work full time.

Here's how I find my time.... I work out at least two or three nights a week directly after work. I go straight from work to the gym and do a one hour workout. The nights that I do that, my husband picks up my two year old from day care. Once I'm home from the gym, we eat dinner and then my husband goes and works out while I put our two-year down to bed. Then on weekends, we get up and go to the gym each morning (Saturday and Sunday) at about 9 AM and work out for an hour. I have daycare hours at the gym, so we take our 2 year old to the gym daycare while we work out. He loves going to the gym and always asks to go. It's so cute!

Our house is not perfectly neat and tidy during the work week, but we find time to clean on weekends while our two year old naps each afternoon. He sleeps from about 1 to 4 PM. I also get all our laundry done on Saturday. It's an all-day process.

Yes, it seems like we're always go go going and that there's no down time. But we make it work!

Good luck!
Megan

Megan beat me to it. I have practically similar workout schedules.

I drop off my two year old at the daycare and my husband picks him up. In the meantime, I go straight from work to the gym and spend 1 hour, hour and a half working out. If my husband is not available to babysit then I either use the gym's kiddie care or call our babysitter or just take him with me in his trailer.

Monday: I teach spinning so I'm forced to workout.
Tuesday/Thursday: I signed up for advanced swim classes. It's one thing to do laps on your own. It's quite a different thing when you're told by an instructor. The friendly competition alone between me and my classmates is enough to inspire me to do that extra lap or two.
Wednesday: Hot Yoga or short run
Friday/Sunday: long run
Saturday: I signed my son up for a parent/tot swim class. It's fun for him and I'm sure I'm logging some calories walking back and forth while carrying him in the pool.

If early mornings or after work workouts are not viable, try bringing good walking/running shoes so you can log 1-3 miles during your lunch break. Weather-permitting, of course.

I also like signing up for charity bike rides like Tour de Cure or Meals on Wheels. I put my son in his Burley bike trailer and we ride 10-15 miles. He loves the speed and I get a really good workout. A 27 lb. toddler + 25 lb. trailer + my own weight + bike weight on an uphill terrain is always a challenging workout PLUS it's usually for a cause like funding diabetes or ending hunger. Our last ride was a Meals for Wheels ride in Livermore, CA. 15 miles and he kept squealing "Faster, Mommy!" during downhills.

It's a struggle everyday but I know it's worth it.

Good luck as well!

http://running.competitor.com/2010/10/training-tips/fitting-it-all-in_15054